Everything I thought I knew about wildlife (and myself) was completely wrong—in the best way.
Words & Images Kate Gazzard
Everything I thought I knew about wildlife (and myself) was completely wrong—in the best way.
Words & Images Kate Gazzard
attempting to put a fitted sheet on my bed, dropping food just as I'm about to take a bite, and the last five minutes of my favourite movie (Moulin Rouge, for those asking).
You’ll notice that ‘watching a mumma hyena ignore two rowdy cubs biting each other as part of a fight for food’ isn’t on that list. And yet, there I was with actual tears in my eyes as those tiny, hungry rascals playfully scrambled around her.
attempting to put a fitted sheet on my bed, dropping food just as I'm about to take a bite, and the last five minutes of my favourite movie (Moulin Rouge, for those asking).
You’ll notice that ‘watching a mumma hyena ignore two rowdy cubs biting each other as part of a fight for food’ isn’t on that list. And yet, there I was with actual tears in my eyes as those tiny, hungry rascals playfully scrambled around her.
Just a mumma hyena and her too-cute-to-be-real babies.
Let me backtrack. I’d love to tell you I’m a hardened adventurer: grizzled, fearless, and unfazed by the sound of twigs snapping ominously behind me. But truthfully? I’m more of an “I’ll take a mojito by the infinity pool” kinda girl. So the idea of heading into South Africa’s Kruger National Park with Intrepid, where the wildlife isn’t fenced in and you are, technically, on the menu, felt ambitious. For me, at least.
Still, I figured I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. First stop, check into Mdluli Safari Lodge—the stunning property where travellers on Intrepid’s range of premium South Africa trips stay for a couple of nights. And let me tell you guys, this place feels luxurious without being the slightest bit pretentious; think ‘wild,’ but with a turn-down service. A lodge that blends safari style with social substance.
→ TAKE A TOUR OF MDLULI SAFARI LODGE
elit laboris
Aute nisi ut ipsum nisi. Ut cupidatat excepteur qui sint aute ex. Nisi ex magna laborum enim.
minim consequat
Enim laboris minim enim non.
minim consequat
Enim laboris minim enim non.
minim consequat
Enim laboris minim enim non.
minim consequat
Enim laboris minim enim non.
Born from a successful land reform initiative, Mdluli Lodge is co-owned by the Mdluli Community, who hold freehold title to 850 hectares of prime Big Five territory. Over 90% of the staff come from the local community, proving that you can have your sundowner and sip it too while supporting local jobs, skills, and providing real economic uplift.
From my luxury tent—complete with air conditioning and Wi-Fi, because yes, it’s 2025—I could feel the wildness pressing in all around me. I couldn’t believe I was actually here. And I was ready.
It's a literal zebra crossing.
Our guide, Excellent (yes, really), was the kind of person who could identify a zebra by its sneeze. Calm, endlessly knowledgeable, and clearly some kind of animal whisperer, he led us into the bush like it was no big deal. But not before we had to “sing” the password to open the lodge gate. You probably know it: In the jungle, the mighty jungle...
Excellent, was, hmm, how to say this, well... excellent.
Impalas are absolutely everywhere in the park.
In all honesty, I thought the giraffes would be taller...
Ten minutes in, we were already knee-deep in impalas. Graceful, skittish, and apparently the fast food of the bush, they bounded across the road in delicate herds. We were all in awe. But let’s be honest, we came here to see the Big Five (rhinos, lions, elephants, buffalo, and leopards—oh, my!) Even the tear-jerking yet completely chaotic hyenas (see intro) couldn’t fully distract us from the mission.
If you spot a single buffalo, the rest of its tribe isn't far away.
Luckily, we’d ticked off three of the five on a night drive the day before. So today’s prize was spotting the elusive leopard.
We did eventually spot him way off in the distance. He was so far away that some of us needed binoculars just to confirm he wasn’t a rock. We waited. And waited, waiting for him to come closer, to stalk the elephants peacefully drinking water nearby, to move at all. He didn’t. So we gave up the stakeout and drove on, making room for other cars still hoping to catch the tiniest glimpse of action.
Big ears, big trunk, bigger attitude.
Boy, was I glad to see this guy.
I’d just gotten comfy in my seat again when Excellent murmured, “He’ll come to the road.” The truck fell silent. “No, I feel it in my heart. He’s coming back.” With zero hesitation, we spun around and sped back to the same spot.
A crackle came through his walkie-talkie: “He’s back.”
Time slowed. No one spoke. It was magic. Pure, electric, once-in-a-lifetime magic.
And there he was. Stalking along the road, completely unfazed by the cars in front, behind, and beside him. He was majestic, unaware, utterly wild. Phones shook (well, mine did). Time slowed. No one spoke. It was magic. Pure, electric, once-in-a-lifetime magic.
By the time we returned to the lodge, I felt different. Changed, maybe. Definitely dustier. But the initial fear: what if something charges at us? What if I miss the shot? What if I have to pee in the bush mid-drive? Had melted into something else. Something closer to wonder.
It was like my brain couldn’t process that I wasn’t in a zoo. This was their land, their rules. And for some reason, they’d allowed us to be there.
That afternoon’s drive brought more laughter than fear, thanks to two baby-faced bull elephants engaging in a half-hearted showdown. They squared off, tusks tangled, ears flapping, in what looked more like two brothers playing than a real fight. Eventually, with a huff of theatrical drama, one crossed the road in front of us, ending the scuffle. I almost applauded (don’t worry, I didn’t.)
Believe it or not, there's a leopard hiding somewhere in this pic.
That night, during a traditional bush braai, I sat by the fire sipping still water (I know, sooo wild) with the smug glow of someone who’d just seen everything she came for.
But what I got was so much more than ticking an experience off a checklist. It was a jolt of deep connection to nature, to this wildly beautiful place, and to the equally bleary-eyed adventurers beside me.
It’s one thing to watch Simba get hoisted over Pride Rock. It’s another thing entirely to follow a lion as it walks lazily towards you, knowing you’re just a visitor in its kingdom.
After an epic South African feed? Have a bush braai.
Sunset game drives are slightly superior to day game drives (imo).
The king of Kruger.
So no, I’m not suddenly a rugged bushwoman. I’m still afraid of big bugs, and I’ll never, ever love a pre-dawn wake-up. But Kruger, and Mdluli, cracked something open in me.
If you get the chance to go, take it. Say yes to every drive. Laugh right back at the hyenas. Be inspired by the elephants. And remember, the wildest places, with friends that start as strangers, are often the ones that make for the greatest adventures.
But also bring binoculars. Seriously. Your phone’s zoom function is not up to the task (I learnt the hard way).
get in the know Long before Kruger National Park became a protected area, it was a playground for gold prospectors. Some abandoned mine shafts still exist, but you're way more likely to come across a hyena than any treasure.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
